John 15:5 —
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
In the life of faith, a simple preposition determines the final result: With Jesus, everything is possible. Without Jesus, nothing is possible.
Philippians 4:13 says this positively, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” All things. Through Christ. In Jesus, everything is possible.
In John 15:5, Jesus states this truth negatively: “Apart from me you can do nothing.” The preposition is “apart” . . . from Jesus. The result is: nothing, not anything, naught, no single thing. Without Jesus, nothing of value is possible!
This is real discipleship — complete dependence on Christ in everything. Our lives should be Christ-sufficient and not self-sufficient. This is the only way to bear fruit as his true disciple.
Living in complete dependence on Christ requires great humility on our part. We must daily humble ourselves before him and acknowledge that apart from him we can do nothing.
Apart from Christ, we do not have the ability to bear fruit; but he has all temporal and spiritual treasures, and can supply everything and anything from his abundant fullness.
May God help us to humble ourselves before him, ask him for help, and see much fruit as we live our lives with Christ, and not apart from him.
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28. March 2013 at 12:59 pm
Calling out to be humbled–to be Christ-sufficient! Well put, Luis, you distill a life of faith clearly and succinctly.
18. June 2013 at 3:57 pm
I can not do anything without jesus christ
8. January 2014 at 9:00 am
I just learned that this literally means NOTHING! Without him, I have no faith. I found myself weary from trying to obtain god like faith with my own ability. Then searching for answers I found that a man in the bible asked JESUS to help is unbelief. Now I pray fervently for god like faith! LORD, I don’t want to shake like a leaf over anything. Thanks for your site! Bless you!
20. January 2014 at 6:24 pm
Thank you, Jennifer. May the Lord both sustain you and give you a continued awareness and thankfulness for His sustaining.
22. July 2014 at 10:37 am
Amen @ john 15:16 we not choose JESUS but he choose to us
to bear much to go and teach and bear much
27. January 2015 at 6:10 am
No Jesus, no life. He giveth life. with life there is hope!
18. June 2015 at 4:06 pm
Thank you, this finds its mark with me too.
John15:5 says “…without Me you can do nothing…” We can’t do anything by our own strength: what we know, we don’t know anymore.” I think it’s what “professional” Peter had to learn on his late-night fishing lesson.
29. December 2015 at 6:38 am
“We must daily humble ourselves before him and acknowledge that apart from him we can do nothing.” – This quote struck me like a rock. I have decided to surrender my self and to humble my self in front of Jesus every morning first thing after i wake up. Thank You for this post
19. November 2016 at 1:23 pm
Non on earth can indeed do without GOD
1. June 2017 at 4:17 am
So so TRUE, because when we come to that understanding as Believers that WE MUST BE CHRIST SUFFICIENT,then we now feel EMPTY inside of us, BROKEN, HUMBLE, HUNGRY and THIRSTY for THE MASTER JESUS CHRIST. God bless you always. Shalom